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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29257668">Winter Wonderland</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowstar/pseuds/Shadowstar'>Shadowstar</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Christmas, Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Fluff, Introspection, M/M, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 12:33:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,362</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29257668</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowstar/pseuds/Shadowstar</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Steve and Tony's first Christmas by themselves at the lakehouse. Just the two of them, spending time, and watching the snowfall.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Steve Rogers/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>POTS (18+) Stony Stocking 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Winter Wonderland</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">



        <li>In response to a prompt by
            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/AvengersNewB/pseuds/AvengersNewB">AvengersNewB</a>  in the  <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/collections/stony_stocking_2020">stony_stocking_2020</a>
          collection.
        </li>
    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For <b> AvengersNewB </b>, filling the prompt "Steve and Tony living together post-Endgame"; hope you like it :D</p><p>This may or may not have been based loosely off Pineapplebread's amazing post-endgame Tattoo AU art. &gt;&gt; There is mention of the state of Tony's physical body, and some issues surrounding mobility. </p><p>Unbeta'd; if there's anything that stands out, mistake wise, please let me know and I'll fix it!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Everything is soft, quiet. There's a hush that seems to have fallen over the world, soft and gentle, beneath the cold layer of precipitation coating the world in white. A majority of the trees along the lake's edge are bare, having shed their leaves months ago, and now their great, dark limbs are hushed in white. The snow whispers as it brushes against the frosted window, little tickles of sound that are almost covered up by the roaring fire behind him. </p><p>The fire that is warming his back, at least for the moment; Steve has disappeared somewhere in the house, though he can hear the faint hums the man gives as he moves, some distant refrain of a tune that seems to live only in Steve's head. The clinking of dishware makes him think that Steve might be attempting to make more hot chocolate; luckily, all it takes is the push of a button, and FRI won't let Steve touch anything else.</p><p>He loves the man, but <em>seriously</em>. Getting Steve together with kitchen appliances is <em>asking</em> for a world-ending disaster. But he knows that FRIDAY is on the case, so it <em>should</em> theoretically be okay. </p><p>He's careful as he lifts the mug of lukewarm tea to his lips, taking note of every single one of the pulling muscles and tendons, listening to the tiny motors whir and shift and move with his arm as he lifts it. There's a whine in one coming from the elbow; something straining far more than it should. He's going to have to--</p><p>"Where'd you go?" Tony doesn't quite startle, but it's a near thing, and he's just grateful that he doesn't spill tea all over his lap. Curse Steve and his ninja-like footfalls.</p><p>"One of the motors is whining," he explains dryly, lips curving bemusedly, feeling the scar tissue in his face tug and pull as he does. It's better, <em>he's</em> better. He's gotten so much better about being able to look in the mirror and not declare himself grotesque, a monster, something scraped from the bottom of someone's science fair project on cellular regeneration. </p><p>It's been a long, uphill battle but Steve has been here, every step of the way. </p><p>Steve huffs at him, rolling his eyes affectionately, moving forward to drop onto the couch beside where he's curled up, where he's been staring out the window watching the snow fall. </p><p>This will be their third Christmas together as a married couple, but it will be the first that it's just the two of them. And honestly, as much as he loves the others, is definitely more than happy for Steve when Barnes and Wilson show up all grins and hugs and holding hands, or when Happy and May arrive like an explosion with Peter, or even when he gets to see Morgan and Pepper and Pepper's new fiance, he's so damn <em>glad</em> it's just the two of them. It's quiet and peaceful in a way he can't describe as he shifts and presses himself into Steve's side, with Steve's arm settling warmly across his shoulders as a soft, hushed silence falls between them. Comfortable, muted not unlike the effect of the snow outside, but infinitely better because of the <em>distinct</em> lack of cold. </p><p>Tony tries to take another sip of his tea.</p><p>"It sure is going to be nice to have a white Christmas this year," Steve enthuses, and Tony is pretty damn sure his husband is doing it on <em>purpose</em> at this point.</p><p>Shifting his attention to the blond beside him, tea once more lowered to his lap, cupped between his flesh and metal fingers, he can't help but glare at the smug little grin he finds on Steve's face. </p><p>"You're going to be the cause of my dehydration, at this rate. I'm going to whither away, become a giant piece of dehydrated jerky, and it will be your fault entirely." His declaration is met with amusement and a kiss to the end of his nose. Tony tilts his head up and kisses Steve <em>properly</em>, because they <em>can</em> now, and he wants to, even if it does feel kind of like giving into the little shit. </p><p>"At least you'll be <em>tasty</em> jerky," Steve comes back once the kiss has ended, making Tony's face twist comically in disgust. It makes Steve laugh, and Tony can't help the little spark of pride that expands out from his chest, making him warm in a way that has nothing to do with the temperature of the room. The sound of it, all unabashed and genuinely joyful, it makes Tony <em>happy</em> to hear. </p><p>They've come such a long goddamn way from where they'd been even four years ago when he'd been first recovering from the snap, and he will never <em>not</em> be grateful for it. He does occasionally mourn the remnants of the romantic relationship he'd once had with Pepper, but it's with fondness and not regret that he looks back on the memories of his time with her. Morgan is happy, and that's really all any of them-- him, Pepper, Steve, and Richard-- want.</p><p>It helps, of course, that he has times like this. Times of warmth and love, even when he and Steve can and do definitely still squabble like school children just because they can. Like this, where Steve is being <em>absolutely </em>ridiculous, but all it manages to do is put a smile on Tony's face.</p><p>Even better, of course, is Steve shifting carefully, prying the tepid mug from Tony's hands that the engineer does his best to hold onto, only to replace it with a much warmer mug moments later. The heavy, rich smell of chocolate wafts up to his nose, curling around him and having him groaning; Steve and FRIDAY had conspired against him and pulled out the <em>good</em> stuff.</p><p>"Oh, god, you found a grey hair, didn't you," he bemoans, even as he carefully, so very slowly, raises the mug in slightly less-than-steady hands to his lips, taking a careful sip. The taste is just as rich and warm as it smelled, but there is a little <em>zing</em> he hadn't been expecting: chili pepper. "Marry me."</p><p>"I hate to point out the obvious but we <em>are</em> married," Steve returns dryly, and of course it doesn't escape Tony's notice that Steve doesn't even comment on his first bout of dramatics.</p><p>In retaliation Tony sniffs derisively, though he's careful how he does it, not wanting to snort hot chocolate in the process. "Wasn't talking to you. Was talking to my first and only love: this mug of hot chocolate." He coos at the mug, and he can feel the distinct way that Steve is actually <em>giggling</em> beside him, though the much larger man is clearly, desperately trying not to let it show. "Where have you <em>been</em> all my life?"</p><p>He's taking another careful sip as Steve presses a kiss to his temple, and, really, how could things be any more perfect? Slowly, concentrating hard, he lowers the cup to his lap, trying not to twitch <em>too</em> visibly when that whiny motor in his elbow reminds him of its presence. But then he's turning and pressing a chocolate-flavored kiss to Steve's mouth, lingering there for a long moment just because he can. </p><p>"I love you," he tells the man, like it wasn't the most obvious thing in the world. But there is a light in Steve's pretty blue eyes when Tony stares up into them that tells him Steve still loves hearing it.</p><p>"I love you, too," Steve returns, warm and soft and oh-so-perfect, hand coming up to gently cup and stroke over the scar tissue on Tony's cheek. Tony doesn't flinch away as he once had; actually leans <em>into</em> the easy affection with a contented sigh. "Merry Christmas, baby." Tony's eyes blink open and a lopsided grin takes over his face.</p><p>"Merry Christmas, Steve." They smile at each other, soppy and content and made even better by the fact that they're not (hypocritically) having things tossed at their heads. The two of them settle in, then, and return to watching the soft whisper of the snowfall, wholly content just to <em>be</em> in that moment. </p>
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